


Teenage Crimes

by Destii



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 14:21:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8581861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destii/pseuds/Destii
Summary: Hawke and Bethany practice magic together in Lothering. The 3rd prompt for the Dare To Write Challenge.





	

‘You’ve got it!’ Hawke laughed as he watched the fireball toddle across the small clearing. It flickered, fighting with the winter breeze. Eventually, it sputtered out, fading into nothing. It was a pathetic fireball alright but it was her first. Bethany whooped and threw a fist into the air. A little flame came sparking out of her fist and she immediately yanked it to her chest, her face going from jubilant to alarmed. Hawke chuckled and came over to her.

‘Don’t worry, you’ll get used to controlling your mana. Just don’t summon it around anyone else, okay?’ He said, gently prying her hand from her chest. Bethany nodded and followed his motion, extending her arm again. 

Hawke stood to one side of her and mimicked her pose, still looking at her. Just summon a little, feel it build up in your gut and then cut it off, otherwise you’ll end up pulling more than you need.  
He looked away from her then, focusing on the air in front of him. A wet, freezing snow dribbled past his vision, settling on his shoulders and making him shiver. The barren trees were far enough away that they wouldn’t leave any marks on them, but close enough to cover up what they were doing. 

He tugged at the reserves of his mana, feeling the familiar rush of power build up. Every time, it made him want to pull more, to stretch himself and see what he could really do. But every time he stopped himself and pushed that feeling aside. Turning the mana into raw power, he sent a wave of it out before him. The snow gushed back, the slush on the ground spraying into the air, turning into a miniature water display before falling back to the ground.

‘That’s so amazing, Jamie!’ Bethany exclaimed, her grin huge. Hawke laughed and reached out to ruffle her hair. 

‘You’re pretty amazing yourself, pup. Now, try again.’ 

Bethany straightened her back, pushed her arm out and narrowed her eyes in concentration. Jamie felt a tiny amount of her mana growing like a tingling in his fingertips.

‘That’s it, now release it, force it into fire,’ He said.

‘What in the Maker’s name are you two doing?’ A voice called out from behind them. Bethany yelped in surprise and a stream of fire spurted from her fingertips, melting the snow beneath it to reveal yellow grass and mud. Hawke turned quickly, taking a side-step to angle himself in front of Bethany, but he relaxed as soon as he saw the silhouette in the low, winter sun. 

‘Carver,’ he said.

‘Who else? Worried I might be a Templar?’ Carver replied, slowly stepping out of the sun and into the clearing.

‘Of course I was,’ Hawke said, crossing him arms, ‘I’m always worried you’re a Templar.’

‘One day, big brother,’ Carver replied, staring directly into his eyes. Hawke crossed his arms in front of his chest but didn’t say anything, content to wait Carver out. 

‘I can do fireballs now, Carver. Want to see?’ Bethany said, breaking the silence. She moved a few steps toward her brother, her smile small and genuine.

‘No,’ Carver replied, taking his eyes off Hawke and going to his sister, taking hold of her by the elbows. ‘Bethany, you have to stop listening to Jamie. He’s going to get you killed. Practicing magic is illegal; the Chantry forbids unless you’re part of the circle.’ Carver started trying to lead Bethany away as he spoke but she pulled away from, her face scrunching up and her body tensing. 

‘Magic shouldn’t be illegal, Carver,’ Hawke interrupted. ‘The chantry shouldn’t punish us for who we are,’ He finished, taking Bethany back. She scowled and pulled away from him as well, roughly shaking herself free.

‘Magic is meant to serve man, not rule over him,’ Carver recited, pointing a finger at Hawke. Hawke battered it away, sending a little jolt of lighting into his fingertips for affect. Carver yanked his hand back, hissing in surprise. 

‘Jamie!’ Bethany protested, pushing at his shoulder. He stumbled back a few steps but didn’t take his eyes off Carver.

‘Chantry words now, Carver, really? They’re really turning you into one of their mindless dogs, aren’t they?’ Jamie said, feeling his anger rise.

‘I’m mindless? They’ll make you Tranquil if you keep throwing fireballs in the woods!’

‘Will you two stop!’ Bethany screeched, moving between both brothers and thumping them both in the chest several times. Jamie frowned as she hit at him, holding onto her wrists lightly but letting the blows land. The anger died inside him as he watched her and shame began to descend. He looked over to Carver and saw a similar expression cross his face, though he was staring off into the woods and rubbing at his chest where Bethany had pummelled it. 

‘Carver, I want to learn magic,’ Bethany said, finally turning from Hawke and looking at her twin. He still didn’t move his head but he glanced in her direction several times as she spoke to him. ‘I can’t control my magic if I don’t learn and if I don’t control it, who knows what will happen? And Jamie,’ she turned toward him then and he saw tears collecting in the corners of her eyes. He wanted to hug her. ‘Carver is right – we have to be careful. If we’re caught…’ She didn’t finish the sentence but Hawke knew what she meant. Their father had taught them what being caught as an apostate meant. 

‘I’m going to tell the Templars that there are mages here,’ Carver mumbled then turned and began walking away.

‘Carver, wait!’ Bethany called after him, moving to follow, but Hawke caught her arm, stilling her.

‘Let him go,’ he said, simply. 

***

‘Do you think he’ll really tell them?’ Bethany asked as she trudged next to him, her back hunched against the cold wind.

‘I don’t know,’ he replied, staring at the brown-grey snow.

‘Are you okay?’ she asked, moving closer to link her arm with his. He pulled his head up to give her a small smile. 

‘Of course little pup, I’m fine,’ he replied, extracting his arm from her so he could wrap it around her shoulder as they made their way home. 

 ***

Carver was already there when they arrived, doggedly chopping firewood on a battered block outside the house. There was a small pile next to him and wood chips in all directions. Bethany pulled away from Hawke and made her way over to her twin, silently beginning to collect the wood into little piles. Carver stopped chopping and moved over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder. Hawke watched as they talked and then hugged. Everything had already been forgiven between them but Hawke couldn’t bring himself to look his brother in the eye just yet. Instead, he made his way into the house.

His mother was inside, making a dinner of stew for them all. When she saw him, she rose like a storm and stalked across the room toward him. He braced himself but the slap still made his jaw ache and his vision blur with tears. He forced his hands to his sides and turned his head back toward her, the right side of his face growing steadily hotter. 

‘What is wrong with you Jamie Malcom Hawke?’ she demanded, both hands going to her hips.

‘Please don’t yell, mother, someone will hear you,’ Hawke replied, but said nothing else.

‘Don’t you dare try to tell me what to do young man, you are not your father,’ she retaliated, though she did lower her voice. ‘Carver told me that you were practicing magic in the woods like a Chasind witch! What if you were seen, Jamie? What would they have done to your sister?’ 

‘We weren’t seen, mother. We made sure we weren’t,’ Hawke replied before running a hand over his face in exhaustion. ‘You’re right, I’m not my father, but someone has to look after her-‘

‘I’m her mother; I’m looking after her!’ Leandra cut in, fury in her voice. 

‘Someone has to teach her how to use her magic. She’s sixteen, mother. If someone doesn’t help her, she’ll end up throwing fireballs in the street and they’ll cart her off to the Circle.’ Hawke could feel tears forming and his throat swelling up. His father had only been dead a few months and they were all suffering because of it. But they had to carry on. And Bethany had to learn to control her magic if she was going to survive outside of the Circle. ‘I’m just trying to help her; why can’t anyone see that?’

He’d been so proud of her when she cast her first fireball. He wanted to tell the whole damn village. It was so unfair. He’d always looked out for her, done everything a brother should. And now he was teaching her this too, and he was supposed to be ashamed of it? Leandra’s face softened as she saw her son begin to give way. His hands shook and he looked away from her, staring at the ground.

‘Oh Jamie, I know. I see it,’ she said, pulling him into a hug, ‘I’m just so worried sometimes. I can’t lose you, either of you, you have to be careful, love.’

‘I am mother, I promise…’ Hawke sniffed, pushing his face into his mother’s shoulder, drinking in the comforting scent of her hair, the strength of her arms around him. It was almost like he was a child again. ‘You should have seen her, mother. You’d have been so proud of her.’

Leandra smiled and hugged her son closer. 

‘I am proud, Jamie. I’m proud of all of you.’


End file.
